Moscow will retaliate after NATO's decision to revoke the accreditation of a number of employees of the Russian permanent mission.
This was stated during the briefing by the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova.
The representative of the Foreign Ministry noted that the decision of the alliance surprised by its arrogance, but did not come as a surprise to the Russian side.
“No official explanation of the reasons was given.
At the same time, a campaign in the media began, such a slanderous campaign, it is simply characterized by a whole series of stuffing, and just direct disinformation, which was voiced through NATO, ”Zakharova emphasized.
She recalled that the number of the permanent mission of the Russian Federation had already been radically reduced both in 2015 and in 2018.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that "the alliance's trick looks absolutely ridiculous" against the background of the theses voiced by its leadership about the need to conduct a dialogue with Moscow and resume meetings of the Russia-NATO Council.
“This is the most real hypocrisy: on the one hand, to declare the need for interaction, to call for such cooperation, on the other hand, to inform about the reduction in the number of our permanent mission.
And on the third side, to engage in stuffing and direct disinformation, while not officially naming the reasons for such activities and similar steps to the Russian side, ”Zakharova explained.
The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also recalled that the alliance has repeatedly, including recently, asked to appoint a Russian permanent representative to Brussels, and not be limited to contacts at the level of the acting representative: “
And so we get what we got. "
“NATO's unwillingness to cooperate has become evident finally and irrevocably.
We will proceed from this when working out response measures, and they will follow, ”the foreign ministry representative concluded.
We will remind, on the eve of the press service of the alliance confirmed the reports that appeared in the media about the deprivation of accreditation of eight members of the Russian mission to NATO in Brussels.
Thus, the composition of the permanent mission of the Russian Federation at the organization was reduced to ten employees.
© REUTERS / Yves Herman
The press service of the alliance also stated that the Russians, deprived of their accreditation, are allegedly officers of Russian intelligence, whose status has not been notified.
The State Duma, commenting on NATO's statements, called the accusations unfounded.
On October 7, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the revocation of accreditation from Russian employees was not related to any specific event.
According to him, the alliance notes "the growth of Russia's activity" and "must be vigilant."
Stoltenberg also said NATO-Russia relations are "at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War."
In addition, Stoltenberg said that at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, held at the UN General Assembly, the issue of a Russia-NATO Council meeting was raised, but the parties could not agree on its holding.
“We are ready to hold it as soon as Russia is ready for it,” Stoltenberg said at a briefing.
Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, commenting on NATO decisions, said that the alliance's actions completely undermine the prospects for normalizing relations and resuming dialogue.
The Kremlin spokesman pointed to the obvious inconsistency in the statements of NATO representatives about their readiness to de-escalate relations with Moscow and their real actions.
“These actions, of course, do not allow us to build illusions about the possibility of normalizing relations, resuming dialogue with NATO.
Rather, these prospects are undermined almost completely, ”said Peskov.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously stressed that Russia is ready to conduct a dialogue with NATO, but the conversation should be professional, and not "in such emotional, half-hysterical tones."
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko also stressed that NATO's withdrawal of accreditation of Russian employees demonstrates the true value of the alliance's statements about the need to normalize relations with Moscow.
Over the past several years, NATO has announced several times the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Brussels.
In particular, in 2009, the alliance expelled two employees of the Russian permanent mission, accusing them of intelligence activities.
NATO did not provide any evidence of this accusation.
Also, NATO decided to expel Russian diplomats in 2018 amid the case of the poisoning of Yulia and Sergei Skripal in the UK.
The Russian authorities have repeatedly rejected accusations by Western countries that Russia's activities may in any way threaten other states, and also stressed their readiness to resume a constructive dialogue with NATO.